“Done is better than perfect” is a maxim for all of us prone to endlessly tweaking our projects and never finishing them. Ben Barry, a designer at Facebook, calls it a favourite quote. The key to moving ahead is following through.
As with the Done Manifesto, the quote reminds us that perfection can be an enemy of progress (rule # 9: “Laugh at perfection. It’s boring and keeps you from being done”). In an interview with the 99% blog, Barry says it’s not about churning out mediocre stuff but getting your stuff out there:
I have several friends that are incredibly talented. They will start on projects but rarely follow through. They get bored or distracted or discouraged that it’s not “perfect” and give up. Following through and finishing things is one of the most important things you can learn.
One of my favourite quotes is “Done is better than perfect.” That doesn’t mean making crap — I believe you should always strive for the highest quality you can — but you have to finish. I think a lot of my friends in this situation don’t realise how in-demand their skills are. I think if you follow through on projects and just put the tiniest little effort into promoting yourself and have the tiniest bit of self-confidence, you can get the job you want.
He offers a lot of other great advice on moving ahead and doing work you love (for people in the creative field in particular), a worthwhile read.
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One response to “‘Done Is Better Than Perfect’”
The one I was taught was –
“Perfect is the enemy of good.”